Safety Issues Again Cited at Postal Facilities

The Postal Service inspector general’s office has said it is continuing to see “deficiencies” in building maintenance, safety and security as it starts a new round of inspections based on its previous findings.

Over the last two years the IG has issued a series of reports on conditions in postal buildings, the first set focusing on post offices and the second set focusing on other facilities. Based on that work, it developed a checklist of common issues to use in further assessments, a blog posting said.

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At three facilities in the Indiana district, inspectors identified 33 deficiencies “ranging from minor to serious violations” and at three post offices in the Mid-Carolina’s district, “we found that building maintenance and safety were not up to standards, with 20 deficiencies identified.”

Among the issues were: rusting and damaged walls; missing ceiling tile; crumbling concrete on loading dock; damaged sidewalk and potholes; restrooms in need of major repair; buckling of floors and uneven metal plates; and “a substance on walls that appeared to be mold.”

“We recommended immediate corrective action with clear evidence that actions have been completed. Also, we recommended regular housekeeping duties inspections be undertaken, and remediation plans established for those items needing long-term corrective action,” it said.

“Our work in this area will continue as we identify additional facilities with many deficiencies, or improvements, based on our checklist,” the IG added, inviting suggestions for facilities to examine.